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Philadelphia Moms Play Music for their Babies

The Philadelphia area doulas have been learning about music and babys and we want to share what we've learned! Music has the power to make memories, shape relationships, effect mood, and simply makes people happy. But how does this effect babies? Well, many researchers believe that fetus’ as young as 5 months can distinguish sounds and at two months infants can remember short melodies. Baby's in the womb can even hear music and sounds being played in the other room. So why not start as young as possible in shaping your child to have a lifetime love for music. Introducing music can very soothing. To explain this music phenomenon on a deeper level, babies have billions of brain cells that form connections to each other. So when infants are readily introduced to music they naturally will form strong music related brain cells. Thus, early listening will enhance a baby’s admiration for music. Not to mention, like most adults, music has a positive effect on a baby’s mood.

So does music make babies smarter?

In some ways yes, music can benefit learning. Studies show that babies as young as three months can pick up on the structure of music, therefore the more complex structure the better. For example, classical music has shown to allow babies to improve on spatial reasoning. Likewise, music can enhance a baby’s learning capability by increasing his or her mood.

Music does not only benefit the baby but it also benefits the mother’s overall mental health.

It is recommended for women to ask their nurse, doctor, doula, etc. to play music during labor. This has been proven to relax the women and make the process much less painful. Also, playing music during pregnancy lowers stress levels tremendously. Main Line Doulas also offers a Music Therapy Assisted Childbirth program. This program has been developed based on the very scientific information we have about the direct effects that music has on the laboring woman. For information on that, please click here.

On top of aiding cognitive health and a mother’s well being, utilizing music is an ideal way to strengthen the bond between mother and child. Those moments when a mother sings her baby to sleep or plays games with music are moments that the child feels a deep connection with its parent. Even if the mother is tone deaf, the baby does not care. All it cares about is the comfort it finds in its mother’s.

Is OK to be that crazy women with the headphones strapped around her belly? No! While music is a wonderful way to help sooth your baby, it is not appropriate to play music close up to your baby via headphone. This practice has been shown to overstimulate developing babies. You can however introduce your baby to a variety of music to see what it likes. Infancy is the time to begin to plant the seeds for a lifetime full of talent. So who knows, maybe your child will be the next Beethoven.

During her recent appearance on Jimmy Kimmel, Mila Kunis made it clear to expectant fathers that they are not the ones doing the hard work. Standing to address the audience directly, she began her rant: “Stop saying ‘we’re pregnant’. You’re not pregnant.”

To drive home her point, she asked three questions of soon-to-be-fathers - all of which can be answered with an easy no - to show that there is no contest as to who has a more difficult time during pregnancy:

“When you wake up and throw up, is it because you are nurturing a human life?” (This, she attributes to too much tequila; another thing that pregnant women cannot enjoy).

What is her assessment of the male contribution to pregnancy?
“All you did was roll over and fall asleep.” After being joined by eight other
pregnant women, ice cream in hand, she drives home her point: “You’re not
pregnant… we are!”

This clip has been seen all over the internet and has been
received with mixed feelings from moms-to-be. Some applaud Kunis’ rant, saying
that while they agree that pregnancy is a shared experience, men are not the
ones dealing with the physical side effects such as swollen ankles, heartburn,
or the uncomfortable feeling of having a foot in their rib. Conversely, others believe
that hearing their partner say “we are pregnant” is an affirmation that they
are not alone.

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Feeling exhausted and overwhelmed? Although planning ahead is ideal, it doesn't always happen. We pride ourselves in being able to accommodate last minute needs. For last minute, SAME DAY SERVICE call now. 484-802-6100484-802-6100Our Mission:

Our mission at Main Line Doulas is to provide the highest quality dependable care to families during pregnancy, childbirth and in the weeks and months after. Our comprehensive approach to childbirth and aftercare starts by recognizing that no two families are alike. We bring comfort and peace of mind to you and your family by creating a specific plan that meets your needs. Whether it's days, nights, weekends or last minute care, our dedicated, professional staff will be here to nurture you, so you can nurture the ones you love. Become a strong, confident new parent with the help of a doula by your side.

Disclaimer:The information included on this site is for educational purposes only. It is not intended nor implied to be a substitute for professional medical advice. The reader should always consult his or her healthcare provider to determine the appropriateness of the information for their own situation or if they have any questions regarding a medical condition or treatment plan.